Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Our Philippines editor Nicole Curato talked to Jonathan Miller, the author of Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines, after the book’s Canberra launch at the Australian National University on 31 May.— New Mandala

The Asian Development Bank preaches bond destiny
Fifteen years after the Asean+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) countries launched their local bond market initiative in the aftermath of the financial crisis, the Asian Development Bank, which coordinates it, prepared an updated good practice guide to build on “remarkable progress.”— Asia Times

DAR needs P10B to distribute government-owned lands
THE planned distribution of government-owned lands under the Duterte administration’s agrarian-reform program will cost the government at least P10 billion more on top of the annual budget of the agency under the General Appropriations Act (GAA), an official of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said.— Business Mirror

BFAR sets 3-month fishing ban in southern Mindanao
Mackerel, scad and trevally are now off limits to more than 40,000 fishermen in southern Mindanao following the suspension of commercial fishing at the 308,000-hectare Davao Gulf from June 1 to Aug. 31.— Philippine Daily Inquirer

Manila waterway choked with plastic
The blanket of trash on a creek that flows between the makeshift homes of a Manila slum is so dense it appears one could walk across it like a paved street.— Gulf Times

SC orders government to answer petition vs ICC withdrawal
The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered Malacañang to answer the petition filed last month by six opposition senators challenging the administration’s withdrawal of the country’s membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC).— Philippine Star

PH manufacturing output accelerates in April
FACTORY output — both in volume and value terms — continued to accelerate in April with the expansion also faster compared to a month earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.— The Manila Times

Philippines awards five firms in 250,000-tonne rice tender
The Philippines’ National Food Authority on Tuesday made final awards to five trading houses in its purchase of 250,000 tonnes of rice in an international tender issued on May 22, European traders said.— Business Recorder (media release)

Philippine City Passes Law Against LGBT Discrimination
The Philippine city of Mandaluyong has approved an ordinance to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from discrimination, the latest in a slew of local laws passed across the country.— Human Rights Watch

Homegrown companies urged to tap 1.4-B Chinese market in upcoming import expo
THE Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem) bared that it is currently in talks with various local companies keen to tap into the 1.4-billion Chinese market by joining the Philippine Pavilion for the upcoming China International Import Expo 2018 (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5 to 10.— Business Mirror

ABS-CBN, GMA clash over TV ratings anew
Media and entertainment firm ABS-CBN Corp. claimed it remained the preferred television (TV) network nationwide in May, while rival GMA Network Inc. said it was the top choice of urban households.— Philippine Star

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Philippines morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Philippines news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Stella-maris Ewudolu

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005. Between November 2010 and February 2012 she was a staff writer at Daylight Online, Nigeria writing on health, fashion, and relationships.
Since 2010 she has worked as a freelance screen writer for 'Nollywood', Nigeria.